Some people laughed at me last August when I wrote a column suggesting that a Nebraska defensive tackle with a difficult-to-pronounce first name should be considered among the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy. According to the voting criteria, the award is earmarked for "The Most Outstanding College Football Player in the United States" -- not the nation's most outstanding quarterback, running back or receiver who also returns kicks on a top 10 team. Silly me. In my first year as a voter, I took the instructions literally.